Royal Flush Ch 08

****** Please Read This First *******

I know, I know, I usually don't bother with the disclaimer bits either. Blah, blah, blah, over 18, blah, blah, blah, don't read if easily offended, blah, blah, blah. But, just this once, please bear with me and read this one.

Firstly, this is chapter eight of ten and the story will only make sense if you read it from the start. If you haven't already done so then I sincerely urge you stop and go to chapter one. It will be better that way, honest.

Secondly, this is a work of fiction and all the characters are completely fictional. In particular, one of the main characters is Princess Charlotte who is, according to chapter one, "about tenth in line for the throne". Now, in real life, there can only be one person who holds that position but this story is not real life and it's definitely not about her.

Princess Charlotte is not a real person and any resemblance is purely coincidental. Before I get carted off to live out what is left of the rest of my life in the Tower Of London, I want to stress that this story is set in a parallel universe where Britain has a very different Royal family with a very different line of succession.

Thirdly, briefly but importantly, my heartfelt thanks to all those who have helped so much. Especial mention must go to, in no particular order, V and OneWhoAdores.

Fourthly, once again, I fall neatly between the BDSM and Lesbian Love categories. This story centres on a BDSM club and much of the action has a BDSM theme. However, it's a bit short on the whips and chains to really be a BDSM story. On the other hand those looking for a lesbian themed story may well end up complaining, as a critic once did, that my stories always seem to feature a D/s relationship. This one is no exception; its a lesbian love story with BDSM overtones. If this is not what you're looking for stop reading now. That's kinder than voting one star because it wasn't what you were after.

Lastly, this is a story of deception and subterfuge. Most of the characters have at least two names, many three or even four. To help the reader keep track each chapter will start with a dramatis personae.

The list for this chapter is:-

*Andrea, a journalist, masquerading as Emma Pearson from Paarl

*Tamsin, another journalist, masquerading as Susan Ward, Emma Pearson's sub

*Georgina McDonald, owner of a Dun Luid, a Scottish castle, along with her sub Zoe Fitzwarren

*Angela Noble along with her sub Justina Crawford

*Fiona Bradshawe along with her sub Maggie Withenshawe

*Barbara Abercrombie along with her sub, Felicity Ambrose

*Princess Charlotte, a princess, known to her friends as Charlie.

*Henrietta Snape along with her sub Frances Albermarle

*Roberta Frogmorton along with her sub Sophia Sutton

*Bridie, housekeeper at Dun Luid, along with her 'help', Rowena and Jessie.

Enjoy the story

*****

The Beechcraft G58 circled around as Fiona lined up for the approach. Tamsin, for whom flying was purgatory, looked out of the window at the diminutive field that was to be their landing strip. She could see that there was another plane already parked up so it looked like they were not the first to arrive. Like so many Londoners, Tamsin's definition of the "far north" was anything past Scratchwood Services on the M1 so it had been quite an eye opener to find out just how far they had had to fly and, even with a comfort break somewhere near Glasgow, the flight had seemed to have gone on forever. However, she had to admit, as they traversed the highlands of Scotland, the scenery had had a majestic beauty that England simply couldn't match.

They had all met up that morning at Northholt airport on the A40 just outside London and, apart from Tamsin, they had all enjoyed the flight. Champagne had been opened and passed around and Andrea, as ever, was in the thick of it, busy being queen of the ball. Tamsin, on the other hand, was actually quite glad that her travel sickness gave her an excuse from joining in. Of course, as she and Andrea were playing their full time D/s relationship to the hilt, a quiet, submissive attitude fitted in just fine.

By comparison, their travelling companions, Barbara and Felicity, although nominally a D/s couple with Felicity as the sub, showed no sign that their relationship was anything more than very good friends. It was harder to gauge their exact relationship between Fiona and Maggie who sat up front but, like Barbara and Felicity, they came across as friends rather than anything deeper. Indeed, unless you knew better, the whole party just looked like a bunch of over-privileged Sloanes on their way to yet another party.

Tamsin's stomach lurched matching what, to her jaundiced eye, were the wild and uncontrolled lurches of the plane as it came in to land. It was all she could do to keep her breakfast down. Surely they were too low, surely they would never clear those trees... look out for those trees... oh my god those trees....

With the ease of much practice, Fiona lined up the plane and brought her in nice and smoothly over the coppice of Douglas firs that marked the end of the runway. The wind was all but non-existent and the weather was perfect so she was justifiably proud of the gentle touch down and the smooth and easy way she taxied over to where Henrietta's Cessna was already parked. She pulled up, applied the brakes and, as her passengers sorted themselves out in the back, started on her post flight check list.

As soon as they stopped a Land Rover, which had been waiting by the entrance to the field, drove over, parked up alongside, and Georgina leapt out looking rather tweedy.

"Darlings! Absolutely super to see you all. How was the flight? Not too ghastly, I hope. Isn't this weather glorious? According to the BBC it's set in for the weekend so it should be just perfect for tomorrow. Henrietta and her crowd flew in a couple of hours back so, now that you're here, we're just missing Roberta and Sophia. It's going to be a bit tight in the Landie so we'll have to throw all your bags in the trailer and then we can work out who goes where. I'm sure you won't mind all squeezing in together."

Behind the Land Rover there was, indeed, a trailer which, by the state of it, was well used around the estate. It was a good job that it was there as the Land Rover was a short wheelbase Series III and it was quite clear that, as Georgina had pointed out, there wasn't going to be room for all of them and their luggage inside. They took the bags from the plane and put them in the trailer but even so there wasn't enough space for them all in the back.

"Susan can go in the trailer with the rest of the baggage," Andrea suggested. "Just joking, dear," she added quickly when she saw the general reaction. "Still, it would make sense and you could easily arrange the bags into seats."

"I'd rather walk," Tamsin replied.

"No you wouldn't. It's miles. Come on, I'll jump in with you," Justina put in. "It will be a laugh."

Although Justina's 'miles' had been an exaggeration it was quite a way from the landing field to the house and the track was unpaved so, aware of her passengers bouncing around behind her, Georgina took it very slowly, hardly going above walking pace. This meant that Tamsin had plenty of time to look around her. The track worked its way up a wooded valley and the scenery really was breathtaking.

"Lovely, isn't it?" Justina commented. "Wait until you see the house."

Tamsin was about to come back with a comment on 'how the other half live' except, of course, as far as Justina was concerned, she was 'the other half'. Instead she asked "isn't it a bit big, just for her alone?"

"But what else can Georgina do? She can't sell the place. Strictly speaking it's not even hers and it's not as if she needs the money. I suppose she could turn it into some sort of hotel but that would mean having the place overrun by ghastly Americans wishing to bag a ten pointer and it would never be the same. She was once persuaded to rent it out to a film company but they left an awful mess and, in the end, I'm not sure she felt it was worth it."

"But... but how does she look after it?"

"The house or the estate?"

"Well, both, I suppose."

"Fundamentally she's the biggest employer in the area. If it weren't for her no one in the village would have a job. The locals are pretty dependent on her."

Pondering the rather feudal nature of the rural Scottish economy Tamsin settled back and enjoyed the view.

The house, when they got there, did not have had quite the grandeur of Lady Mary's place down in Surrey but it was a solid edifice in red granite and still pretty imposing. The Land Rover drew up outside the front door where they were met by a middle aged woman and two teenage girls in maid's uniforms. Georgina jumped out of the Land Rover and started organising everyone. It turned out that the woman was Bridie, the housekeeper and that the teenagers, Rowena and Jessie, were girls from the local village helping out for the weekend. Andrea and Tamsin joined the others in sorting out their luggage from the trailer and Rowena led them up to their room.

"Bloody hell! What a place! I mean, just look at the size of that bed!" Andrea exclaimed once Rowena had left.

The four poster was, indeed, the biggest bed that Tamsin had ever seen and, when she tried it out, one of the most comfortable. However, they didn't have time to hang around. Georgina had chided Fiona for arriving so late and, insisted that, after a few minutes to unpack and freshen up they should come back downstairs for afternoon tea.

The rest of the day was spent relaxing. The south facing garden had been designed to act as a sun trap and, in view of the exceptional weather, there was no better place to serve the tea. Rowena and Jessie brought everything out and laid it on the garden tables. Even after the last scone had been eaten and the last cup of lapsang souchong drained it seemed a shame to go back indoors which meant that they were all still outside when a light aircraft came flying overhead. The plane dipped low and waggled its wing tips at them before heading off down the valley towards the landing field.

"That'll be Roberta and Sophia," Barbara commented. "Roberta always has to show off like that. Maybe we should..." but Georgina was already heading for the door so as to drive down to the landing field to meet them.

Thirty minutes later, Barbara was proven right. Georgina rejoined the party in the garden and, five minutes later, Roberta Frogmorton and Sophia Sutton, who Andrea and Tamsin had met at their initiation as Panatis and Hosea, arrived as well. However, it turned out that they weren't the only ones in the plane. Right behind them, unmasked and unmistakable, was Princess Charlotte.

"Charlie! I didn't know you were joining us," Angela called out and, indeed, there was a great deal of delighted surprise among the group. Princess Charlotte, in return, looked shyly pleased.

"Well, you know how persuasive Georgina can be," she said with a little laugh. "Told me that I had to be here or else."

"Or else what?"

"She didn't make that entirely clear but I'm pretty sure I didn't want to find out." This raised another laugh.

"Emma, darling, I don't know if you remember Roberta and Sophia." Georgina was, as ever, the perfect hostess. "Or maybe I should say Panatis and Hosea?"

"It was all a bit of a whirl, that night, and my Greek mythology is a bit weak so I did find it hard to keep track of who was who but yes, of course, I remember. It's lovely to see you again," Andrea gushed. Tamsin just smiled sweetly.

"Oh, Lady Mary, she just loves all those Greek names," Roberta joked. "I can barely remember who I am, let alone any one else. Now, Emma and Susan, isn't it. Delighted to meet you again."

"And this is Charlie," Georgina added.

There was a short, but unmistakable, awkward pause. Andrea really didn't know whether she was supposed to acknowledge having met Princess Charlotte before and how she was now supposed to address her.

"Oh, Emma, Susan and I all met at Celia's place in Bedfordshire," Princess Charlotte put in, breaking the awkwardness. "What a splendid afternoon that was. I did enjoy meeting you both. It's lovely to have some new faces around, especially ones who fit so well into our little circle. So, how have we all been? It's great to be back in Scotland again."

That broke the ice and they all relaxed again. There was a certain amount of air kissing as Roberta, Sophie and Charlie made their way around the assembled friends and then it all settled down, fifteen women, chatting together in the garden. Tamsin, playing to her submissive role, kept in the background, wandering off on the pretence of admiring the roses while watching the proceedings as an observer, not as a participant. She was, therefore, a bit disconcerted, when Princess Charlotte, who she was learning to think of as Charlie, came over towards her.

"They're beautiful, aren't they? Georgina is so clever to get them to grow so well this far north."

"Yes, yes, they're very pretty," Tamsin replied. She felt unsettled and more than a trifle awkward. This was the Princess, this was the target, this was the person she was supposed to entrap. According to the plan she should be using cunning subterfuge to worm secrets out of her. But that wasn't the problem. How are you supposed to react towards someone when your only previous interaction has been puppy girl sex, when you've been so intimate yet never exchanged a word? Blushing she turned back to the flowers.

"I was... I was rather hoping you would be here. I'll admit, that's part of the reason why I came at all. It's just... well... we didn't get much chance to talk back in Bedfordshire." Charlie gave a little smile. "So, tell me all about yourself, tell me, how are you finding London? It must be a bit strange after Paarl."

"I'm... I'm used to it. I was born there, In Streatham."

"Streatham, South London?"

"That's the one. Sunnyhill Road, just off the High Street."

"So, for you, it was more like coming home. Even so, it must have been an awful wrench leaving all your dogs behind. Emma has told me all about how you used to breed Rhodesian Ridgebacks. It must have been simply dreadful having to say goodbye to them all."

"It would have been worse if we hadn't managed to find good homes for them all."

"But that's not the point, is it. Good homes or not, you must miss them. Sorry, I'm being rather thoughtless."

"No, it's OK, you're right, I do miss them but, what with one thing or another, it was time to move on."

"Even so, it does seem such a shame. At least moving back to England means you get to see more of your family."

"Yes, that's so. My mum was heart broken when I moved out there and now she's delighted to see me back again. I got to see her on her birthday for once," Tamsin extemporised.

Tamsin looked about them. Somehow, without actually deciding to, they seemed to have drifted off into one of the quieter bits of the garden. They could still hear the chatter coming from the others and they were still in sight but, suddenly, it was as if they were on their own.

Tamsin looked at Princess Charlotte and saw her looking straight back at her. She knew that they were both thinking about the last time they were alone in a garden together and, it wasn't just the about the sex. Tamsin felt an overwhelming urge to touch, and be touched. But most of all she wanted to tell Princess Charlotte the truth. All that stuff about missing the dogs had been nonsense. She wasn't Susan Ward, nor was she in any sort of relationship with Emma Pearson, who wasn't even Emma Pearson. She looked away again and, for sake of anything else to do, plucked a rose and studied its petals.

"I'm sorry, I've upset you, talking about your dogs. I can see that. Please, forgive me."

"It's not.... it's not..." Tamsin had to fight to bite back the words. How could she go in lying like this? Again their eyes met. Again there was this sense of something between them, something that neither could express.

"Ah, Charlie, there you are. I've been looking all over. Do you mind, Susan, can I steal Charlie away from you?" Georgina had appeared out of nowhere and, with that, she whisked Princess Charlotte away leaving Tamsin standing wondering what had just happened. Their little chat had left her shaking. She hadn't got Andrea's self confidence, nor her carefully worked out back story and lying to the Princess had been so much harder than she had ever thought it would be.

The evening meal was a rather grand affair. Tamsin had seen fifteen people sat around the same table before but that had been an overcrowded fiasco at a once tried, never repeated, Christmas party when an over enthusiastic uncle had invited everyone around for dinner. By contrast, the massive oak table in the baronial dining hall could seat fifteen with ease and, rather than aunts and cousins bustling back and forth, it was Bridie assisted by Rowena and Jessie who was serving at table. The four course meal proceeded at a leisurely pace and it was gone ten when, with coffee and brandies, they all retired to the drawing room and Rowena and Jessie were dismissed for the night.

"Now the staff have retired we can get down to business," Georgina said, getting up out of her chair and going to stand in front of the fireplace. On the way she had gone to the sideboard where she had picked up a black velvet bag about the size of a pillowcase.

"Welcome, ladies, to the Dun Luid annual stalk. Now is the moment of truth, now is the time when we decide who gets to be a stalker and who gets to be prey. But first, for the benefit of Emma and Susan, and Sophia who was so forgetful last year," this raised a round of laughter, "a quick reminder of the rules.

"In this bag there are fifteen snooker balls. Ten of them are red, the other five are the orange, yellow, blue, brown and green. We will each, in turn, take a ball out from the bag and show it to the others. Anyone choosing a red ball is designated 'prey', any other colour, 'stalker'. Anyone deemed to be cheating, yes, Fiona, I'm looking at you, will automatically become prey.

"Tomorrow, after lunch, all those designated as 'prey' will be driven out to the far side of Loch Luid where they will be divested of any clothing apart from their shoes and socks. They will also be issued with a pair of safety goggles. I know they're not exactly Prada but please don't forget to wear them. I don't want to have to explain to Dr. McKenzie how one of my guests got paint in her eyes, especially if you have paint everywhere else as well. After being dropped off the prey will then have one half hour in which to disperse. Please, please, please keep within the deer fence to the north and west and go no further down the valley than the house. Let's not have any more accidental sightings, eh, Felicity.

"Meanwhile the five 'stalkers' will be issued with paintball guns. Each gun will be loaded with different colour paint matching the snooker ball they selected. The stalkers will then drive out to the old ghillie hut at the north edge of Loch Luid which will be the centre for all stalking activities. From there they will disperse in search of the prey.

"Any prey hit on any part of the body becomes captured. Should two stalkers bag the same prey at the same time then the one whose paint is nearer to the heart is deemed the winner. The stalker must then take the captured prey back to the old ghillie hut where they will be corralled. At the end of the day, or when all the prey are captured, we will all return to the house where the prey will remain the exclusive property of their captors until sunrise, Sunday morning. In case you're wondering, sunrise at this time of the year is about four thirty when we'll probably all be tucked up in our beds, well, in someone's bed, anyway. After that, any arrangements are strictly between yourselves but please bear in mind that Bridie and the girls will be serving breakfast at nine in the morning so, for heavens sake, when you come downstairs, be discrete.